A NORTH Yorkshire peer has raised concerns about the future of a North Yorkshire community hospital in the House of Lords.

Former Thirsk and Malton MP, Baroness Anne McIntosh, asked that the role of hospitals such as the Lambert Memorial Hospital in Thirsk - in easing overcrowding in acute hospitals - be recognised and sufficient resources made available to them.

The Lambert was temporarily closed in September last year due to a staffing crisis and campaigners fear it may never reopen.

Baroness McIntosh said community hospitals such as the Lambert offered “step up, step down” services where patients can receive rehabilitation, physiotherapy and other services, particularly between leaving an acute hospital and returning home.

Speaking in the House of Lords, she asked Lord Prior of Brampton: “My Lords, will my noble friend the Minister look very carefully at the reasons for delayed discharges, which lead to overcrowding, and to the particular role that community hospitals, such as the Lambert Hospital in Thirsk, play in rehabilitating those who have had a fall, an operation or a stroke?”

Lord Prior replied that the emphasis of the NHS Five Year Forward View was to treat more people outside acute hospital settings and that was something supported by the Government.

He replied: “My Lords, clearly, step-down facilities, including community hospitals, have a very important role to play. The whole thrust of the five-year forward view is to treat more people outside acute hospital settings. That is the NHS’s plan, which the Government support.”

South Tees Hospital Trust and the Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are to hold a public consultation on the hospital’s future and will host the first public meeting on Tuesday (March 22).

Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake called on local people to attend Tuesday’s meeting to have their say, adding people needed to see what solutions there were for keeping the 14-bed hospital open. He said he had “great concerns” about it.

Janet Probert, CCG’s chief officer, has said the aim was to make sure the public was formally consulted before any decisions were made.